Handy Uses for Binder Clips for Travel (and at Home Too)

I was digging around in my freezer this morning looking for frozen fruit.  I wanted to make a smoothie to drink on my way to the airport.  As I rummaged through the bottom freezer bin I thought “there has to be a better way to deal with this mess”. I remembered a gem I found on the internet about uses for binder clips in the freezer.  The author used a binder clip to hang freezer bags from the vented shelves in the freezer.  They saved space and made good use of otherwise empty unutilized room in the freezer.

I thought about several other uses for binder clips that I regularly deploy.  These uses for binder clips come in handy both at home and on the road:

• Keep curtains shut.  No bright light seeps through with a binder clip holding them firmly shut.  This is great in a hotel room when you need to sleep during daylight hours.  I always keep a couple of spare binder clips in my suitcase just in case I need them.
• Use as a holder for cords.  You can clip a large binder clip onto a piece of furniture and thread a cord through the metal loop.   Clipped onto a fixed object, a binder clip keeps a charger cable from getting lost while plugged in.  I use a large binder clip at home to keep my phone charger near my bedside table.  I also have one attached to my desk to thread my laptop cord through.
• Keep items from migrating in a suitcase or bag.  I have a heavy-duty binder clip inside of my rollaboard to keep my toiletries at the top of my bag.  I attached the binder clip to a loop at the top so its near the zipper opening.  At security lines without PreCheck, I can quickly locate my plastic liquids bag.
• Keep loyalty program cards together.  I don’t have room in my wallet for all of my frequent travel or shopping loyalty program cards.  At the same time, I often need them.  I keep several binder clips of cards sorted.  One is for travel, one is for shopping programs, and one is for gift cards.  I can toss the relevant stacks in my bag as needed for easy access.
• Pack cosmetic samples for use.  I frequently obtain samples of toiletry and cosmetic samples that come in flat packs.  I use a small binder clip to hold the tops of these together in my toiletry bag.  This keep them from ending up in the bottom.  Also, if I only use half of a sample, I fold it over a couple of times and secure it with a binder clip to seal it shut.
• Binder clips can also secure open bags of snacks.  I often buy a snack bag at the airport but don’t eat the multiple portions within.  A binder clip is handy for sealing it shut so the rest can be eaten later.
• Use as a heavy duty safety pin.  Sometimes unfortunate things happen to clothing or shoes on the road.  In those cases, often a small binder clip can be more useful for holding something together than a safety pin can be.  I’ve kept a zippered boot shut, held up pants with a broken zipper, and cinched the back of a too-big jacket.  And those are just a few of the fashion uses for binder clips I have discovered.

These days, binder clips don’t just come in boring black and silver.  Many companies produce colored or decorative binder clips.  The design element and variation of sizes creates even more uses for binder clips.

Beyond the intended purpose, what uses for binder clips do you have?  Please share your best tip with us!